FAO To Launch ‘One Health’ Action Plan For Agric Sector

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has held a day’s consultative meeting with stakeholders in the Agriculture sector to assess Ghana’s situation with regard to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use (AMU) to enable it to begin the process of developing a “One Health” National Action Plan to address threats in agriculture and public health sectors in Ghana.

AMR refers to the ability of micro-organisms to withstand antimicrobial treatments

The overuse or misuse of antibiotics has been linked to the emergence and spread of micro-organisms which are resistant to them, rendering treatment ineffective and posing a serious risk to public health.

AMR occurs when micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that render the medications used to cure the infections they cause ineffective. When the micro-organisms become resistant to most antimicrobials they are often referred to as “superbugs”.

The consultative workshop which brought together over 50 participants representing government, private sector, farmer’s organisations, academia and the media was meant to sensitize stakeholders on the subject matter and to create a constructive dialogue among the actors.

It was also to identify policy strategy, legal constraints and gaps in the current situation and propose solutions for consideration in the national AMR action plan

According to FAO, AMR is a worldwide health threat at the human–animal-environment interface. It overuses and misuse in different sectors, it said, could result in ineffectiveness of previously successful human and animal treatments of diseases.

Antimicrobials or their active components, FAO maintains, could also play a role in the resistance development if they are present in the environment such as in manure for agriculture purposes from treated animals or humans, water from fishponds or in waste water from the antimicrobial producing industry, or other waste products from hospitals and clinics.

The Organisation said preventing or reducing pathogens acquiring AMR could be achieved by applying responsible use of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants in all countries, and also by regulation of the use of waste products from these and the pharmaceutical sectors.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, the FAO Representative to Ghana, Dr Abebe Haile-Gabriel underscored the critical need for collaboration among all the stakeholders involving all the relevant sectors and the subsequent commitment of resources in achieving this cause.

Dr Abebe noted that the outcome of the workshop would enable the stakeholders to better organize and work pro-actively towards a national action plan on Antimicrobial Use and Antimicrobial Resistance.
Participants recommended surveillance to detect AMR and monitor its spread into the environment.

To address the global threat of AMR, a Global Action Plan (GAP) was developed on AMR and adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015. The Member Countries committed to develop National strategies and action plan by May 2017.

On its part, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has established an inter-departmental Working Group on AMR (AMR-WG) initially at its headquarters. The AMR-WG developed an Action Plan on AMR to support the GAP.

This article originally appeared on the newsghana website on 4th April, 2016 authored by Mohammed Suleman. Avaulable at: http://www.newsghana.com.gh/fao-to-launch-one-health-action-plan-for-agric-sector/